Edward p



' (No Model.)

B. P. JOHNSTON.

GAR COUPLING.

Patented Dec. 11, 1888..

In a 6 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

EDIVARD P. JOHNSTON, OF \VASHINGTUN, DISTRICT OF (.OLIV'MBIA.

CAR-COUPLING.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 394,368, dated December 11, 1888.

Application filed July 14:, 1888.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, EDWARD P. JOHNSTON, a citizen of the United States, residing at \Vashington, in the District of Columbia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Car-Couplers; andI do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters and figures of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

My invention relates to car-couplers of the link-and-pin type; and its object is to enable a tension to be put upon the pin when it is stuck or jammed in the draw-head, so that the cars will be uncoupled as soon as the pin is loosened, and whenever desired recoupled automatically. In making up or in distributing trains it frequently happens that a pin will become stuck so as to resist all efforts of the brakeman to withdraw it, owing to the crowding of the link by the adjoining car. Much time is lost by the brakeman being obliged to remain at that point until the strain on the pin has been relieved, so that he can uncouple the cars. By my device he can bring to bear upon the pin a tensile strain that will certainly withdraw it from the drawhead as soon as the retarding force is removed and insure the recoupling of the cars without further attention, thus allowing him to go on without unnecessary delay to other points where he is needed.

My invention consists of certain devices for the accomplishment of these purposes, as hereinafter described, and particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a side view showing the pin resting in the draw-head. Fig. 2 is an end view of the same. Fig. 3 is a side view showing the parts arranged to put a tension on the pin. Fig. 4 is a similar View showing the pin raised, and Fig. 5 is a plan view.

Similarletters refer to similar parts in all the figures.

A is the car-body, provided with the usual dead-blocks, B, and draw-bar C. On the end of the car are secured two parallel guide-rods,

Serial No. 279,964. (No model.)

l D, on which slides a frame, E, composed of two 1 parallel plates, e,provided with parallel slots e and an upright bar, e*, to which the plates e i are at tached. The guide-rods I) pass through the slots e, which permit a movement of the frame E toward or away from the car-body in conformity with the similar movement of the draw-bar t under varying strains. The bar e is U-shaped in cross-section, the open side i of the U being turned toward the car-body, as

shown in Fig. 5.

The rod F is attached to the coupling-pin and passes loosely through holes in the outer ends of the plates 9, and is provided with a collar, F, lyingbetween the plates e e. Between the collar F and the lower plate e is interposed a helical spring, G.

The collar F has an arm, f, extending toward the bar e and provided with a hole, through which passes a rod, H, having ahead at each end, as shown. The lower head is attached to the upper end of a helical spring, I, whose lower end is attached to a dog, K, pivoted 011 the bar e at K about midway of its length. The back edge of the dog projects through a slot in the bar e so as to be capable of engaging with a spring-pin, L, working in a socket, L, attached to the car-body at a point about midway of the guide-rods I). A stop, k, limits the outward movement of the dog.

To the lower end of the rod F is secured a clamp, M, composed of two similar parts hollowed out to embrace the head of the coupling-pin and hold it firmly when closed upon it. The exterior of the clamp is conical, and a ring, m, drops down over it and holds the parts together when closed upon the pin, as shown.

The frame E is provided with some suit able device to raise it, and thereby lift the pin. This may consist of one or more levers, N, the inner end of which engages with the frame E at the point a, and which can be operated from the side of the car or from the top by means of the rod N. Instead of levers, I

may use cords or chains attached to the frame E and passing over pulleys to points convenient for operating them.

The mode of operation of these parts is as follows: Supposing the parts to be in the position in which they are shown in Fig. 1, and it is desired to lift the pin, the frame E is raised by depressing the lever N, the upward tension being communicated from the lower plate 6 through the spring G to the collar F, rod F, clamp M, and so to the pin. If the pin is free to move, it will rise at once with the frame E; but if the pin is temporarily stuck the rod F will remain stationary and the upward movement of the frame E will compress the springs G and l, as shown in Fig. 3. The spring I throws the dog K back into the U- shaped bar 6 so that when it passes the pin L the dog will catch over the pin and prevent the frame E from dropping when the brakeman releases the lever N. The coupling-pin is thus subjected to the powerful tension of the spring G,and when relieved from its retarding force so as to be free to move the coupling-pin will be immediately lifted by the spring G, and the parts will assume the position shown in Fig. 4c. The arm f of the collar F strikes the upper head of the rod H and pulls the dog K out of engagement with the pin L, so that the frame E is ready to drop back again'to its original position. To prevent this and to hold the parts raised until the car is to be coupled again, a tubular follower, O, is introduced into the draw-head 0, open in front but closed at the rear, and normally pressed outward by a spring, 0, behind it. The top and bottom of the follower are each provided with a hole to register with the pin-holes in the draw-head when the follower is forced inward. lVhen the couplingpin is withdrawn, the spring 0 moves the follower outwardly, and the pin is supported upon the top of the follower until the contact of the'draw-head of another car drives the follower into its draw-bar an d permits the coupling-pin to drop.

It is evident that the details of construction of my device may be considerably altered without departing from the spirit of my invention.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

'1. The combination, with the vertically-reciprocating coupling-pin, of a device, substantially as described, for lifting the same, and a yielding connection between said pin and said lifting device, which is adapted to receive the pressure applied to the lifting device and communicate the same to the coupling-pin,

substantially as set forth.

2. The combination, with a vertically-reciprocating coupling-pin, of a lever, a verticallyinovable frame connected with the lever, and a spring-connection between said frame and coupling-pin adapted to receive the pressure applied to the lever and communicate the same 'to the coupling-pin, substantially as described.

3. The combination, with a verticallyreciprroc'ating coupling-pin, of .a lever, a verticallymovable frame connected with the lever, and a spring attached at its base to the said frame and secured at its top to the coupling-pin, substantially as set forth.

4:. The combination, with a vertically-reciprocating coupling-pin, of a vertically-movable frame, a rod attached to the pin and passing through. said frame, a spring interposed between said frame aud a collar on the rod, and means for moving the frame, substantially as described.

5. The combination, with a vertically-reciprocatin g coupling-pin, of a vertically-movable frame, a rod attached to the pin and passing through the frame, a spring interposed be tween said frame and a collar on the rod, means for moving the frame, and a locking device to hold the frame in the raised position when the spring is compressed, suliistantially as described.

(5. The combination, with a vertically-reciprocating coupling-pin, of a vertically-movable frame, a .rod attached to the pin and passing through the frame, a spring interposed between said frame and a collar on the rod, means for moving the frame, a spring-actuated dog to look the frame in its raised position when the spring is compressed, and yielding connections between the spring-dog and the rod, whereby the dog will be unlocked when the spring is released from compression and the rod rises, substantially as described.

7 The combination, with a vertically-reciprocating coupling-pin, of a device for lifting the same, a yielding connection between'said pin and said lifting device adapted to receive the pressure applied to the lifting device and communicate the same to the coupling pin, and a spring-actuated follower located in the draw-bar and adapted to support the pin when in its raised position, substantially as described.

8. The combination, with a draw-bar, of a tubular follower located within the same and :provided with holes for the passagegof the in its raised position, as and for the purpose set forth.

1.0. The combination, with a vertically-reciprocating coupling-pin, of a lever, a 'movable frame connected with the lever, a clamp adapted to rigidly hold the coupling-pimand a spring-connection between the clamp and the niovable frame, as and for the purpose set forth.

11. The combination, with a vertieally-readapted to support the pin when in a raised ciprocztting coupling-pin, of it lever, a vertiposition, substantially as set forth. Cally-movable frame connected with the lever, In testimony whereof I a ffix my signnt nro in 3 rod passing through the frame, a springpresenvo of two witnesses. connection between the rod and the frame, a EDWARD P. J ()HNSTUN. clamp secured to the rod and adapted to rig- \\'i1 nossos: idly hold the eonpling-pin,m1d a spring-aetn- G. W. IlAIlLoCH, a-ted follower located in the draw-bar and R. W. \YALKER. 

